The present invention relates to a method of producing a high density ferrous based powdered metal alloy which is characterized by its high strength and exceptional machinability.
It is well known that the strength of conventionally produced ferrous alloys can be increased by adding thereto certain minor amounts of copper. Unfortunately, while copper produces certain desirable results with regard to increased strength, its use has associated therewith certain detrimental features. For example, the addition of copper to conventional ferrous based alloys often causes them to exhibit hot shorting, i.e., causes them to exhibit excessive internal cracking.
To overcome this problem of hot shorting, high density ferrous based alloys have been produced by conventional powder metal technology. These articles are produced by forming the desired article to its final shape or configuration. However, when it is desired to machine such resultant articles difficulty is experienced in that they evidence poor machinability.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the instant invention to provide a method of producing a high density powdered ferrous based metal alloy which is characterized by its exceptional strength and high degree of machinability.